While Chennai continues to lead in the number of road accidents and deaths, complaints have been piling up against delivery boys of online food aggregators for gross violation of traffic norms. With app-based food service providers working 24x7, the delivery boys race against time to reach the customers' doorsteps.
While some food delivery boys do not wear helmets, others use earphones, or blue-tooth enabled devices while riding their bikes. Complaints that they often jump signals and overtake rashly on arterial roads and prime junctions have been raised. Food delivery staff throw caution to wind not only to meet deadlines but also to win incentives offered to them based on the time they take to deliver food to customers.
Following mounting complaints, the Chennai police decided to crack the whip and booked over 2,000 food delivery boys for traffic violations. This week, top cops met the executives of online food aggregators like Swiggy, Uber Eats and Zomato and asked them to ensure delivery boys followed road rules. The meeting also decided to form a WhatsApp group and if any delivery boy was found violating road norms, his details along with the photo will be posted on the group. And the aggregator will take action against him.
Even while promising to train their delivery boys on traffic rules, the executives also told police that they would take disciplinary action against violators.
Meanwhile, food delivery staff claim that they don't want a negative rating from customers who are upset and angry if food is not delivered on time.
But this cannot be an excuse for their speeding, zigzagging on roads and jumping signals as they are risking their lives and also endangering the lives of pedestrians and other motorists.
Since bikes are owned by delivery staff, online food aggregators have no liability also. With the number of persons working as food delivery staff increasing, it is in the hands of police to rein them in.
Their driving licences must be cancelled not only for breaking rules but also for using mobile phones while driving.
